A yellow pigment found in chamomile tea, celery, oranges, grapefruit and parsley could end up being one of the latest treatments for mesothelioma.

According to a number of studies, including research by doctors at the University of Rome, natural pigment found in the aforementioned vegetables and plants have proven to work as an anti-cancer agent and antioxidant agent. Known as apigenen (API), the yellowish pigment was tested against cancerous mesothelioma cells.

Results showed that API stopped cancerous cell survival rate and promoted cancerous cell death. Researchers who studied mice that were treated with API determined that the mice survived twice as long as the control mice who did not get treated with API.

“We demonstrated for the first time that API treatment was able to inhibit the growth of MM cell lines in vivo,” lead researcher Dr. Laura Masuelli wrote. “Overall, we demonstrated that Apigenin inhibited in vitro and in vivo malignant mesothelioma cells growth by targeting different signaling pathways and inducing apoptosis.”

The mice were injected with API directly into the abdomen. Not only did the treatment increase their survival rate but it also improved their condition. The mice that were studied had peritoneal mesothelioma, a common type of asbestos-related cancer, which is marked by cancerous cells building up around the lining of the abdominal cavity.

As of today, the most effective treatment for peritoneal mesothelioma still remains hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), combined with cytoreductive surgery. Scientists who researched API believe that adding it to traditional cancer treatment will help patients live longer and fend off their illness better.

Cons of API

Although API benefits have been proven, there are also a few drawbacks that should be taken into consideration. For instance, API can cause cell division, activate certain enzymes, and possibly increase percentage of cells “measurable by the sub-G1 assay.”

Regardless, the significant survival rate of the lab mice shows that API benefits may make it a possible treatment option for mesothelioma patients in the future.

“Overall, when comparing the survival of mice upon treatment, it was observed that API treatment prolonged mice median survival time as compared to the vehicle treatment,” Masuelli wrote. “Our results indicated that API specifically interfered with intraperitoneally transplanted [malignant mesothelioma] cell growth.”

Additional Help and Resources for Mesothelioma Patients

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be eligible for substantial compensation. Fill out our form to receive our free Financial Compensation Packet. Our packet is loaded with information on leading mesothelioma attorneys in your area, how to file a claim for asbestos trust funds, how to get paid in 90 days, and more. For more information, contact us toll-free at 800-793-4540.

A popular brand of brand of children’s quad bikes were recalled after it was determined that the vehicles were built with asbestos-containing parts.

ABC Online reports that several brands of the Polaris youth quad bicycle, which was sold after December 31st, 2003, have been recalled. Product Safety Australia said on Monday that many parts of the bikes could contain asbestos, including the front and rear brake shoes, the front brake pad, the rear brake shoe, and the heat shield washer.

Models affected by asbestos and included in the recall include:

Ace 150

Outlaw 50, 90 and 110

Scrambler 50 and 90

Sportsman 90 and 110

Predator 50 and 90

Sawtooth 200

Expert stated that children who own one of the aforementioned Polaris bikes can still ride them. However, absolutely no repairs should be done on the bikes because it may disrupt asbestos. Any repairs should be done by licensed professional who understands how to dispose asbestos materials and parts properly.

Owners of the vehicles can contact their nearest authorized Polaris dealer, where they can have any parts that may contain asbestos replaced with asbestos- free parts, at no charge. The Ace 150 vehicles can also be repaired free of charge. However owners must wait until the gaskets need to be serviced.

According to Alan Collins, country manager of Polaris Australia, the company had third-party testing done on the vehicles, which identified traces of a besos. He claims that the risk of asbestos exposure is extremely low.

“The research and very extensive testing that we’ve had completed … has come back that there were no asbestos fibers picked up in the air through the use of those vehicles,” Mr Collins told the ABC. “It’s an extremely low probability that those fibres could’ve been in the air and could’ve damaged the operator of the vehicle or anybody nearby to them.”

Yet, it’s important to remember that according to numerous organizations that have researched and understand the dangers of asbestos, such as the American Cancer Society, there is simply no safe levels of asbestos exposure. Running the risk of possibly coming into contact with asbestos should be thought about thoroughly before allowing a child to ride the vehicle.

For now, the quad bikes are not being sold anymore while the company investigates. Collins said that the company is investigating the cause of the contaminated asbestos and working hard to determine how it happened and which source sent in asbestos-containing parts.

“We are working very diligently at the moment to understand how this has happened and … to ensure there can be no repeats of it in future.”

For more information, contact the Polaris Customer Service Department on 1-800- 982- 593 or visit www.polarisindustries.com.au

Help for Asbestos Victims

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be entitled to substantial compensation. Fill out our form to receive our free Financial Compensation Packet. Our packet is loaded with information on leading mesothelioma attorneys in your area, how to file a claim for asbestos trust funds, how to get paid in 90 days, and more. For additional assistance, contact us toll-free at 800-793-4540.

A recent study in Italy connected several women who died from mesothelioma to asbestos-containing doll-making factories.

According to a report published in the April issue of Italian medical journal La Medicina del Lavoro, three cases of pleural mesothelioma were found in women who once made doll clothing in factories. An autopsy performed on one the women, whose original cause of death was listed as unknown, was changed to reflect that she had a high amount of asbestos in her system. The medical examiner’s office used electron microscopy to examine the woman’s chest area.

Lead researcher of the study, Pietrogino Barbieri, wrote that until now, all three women’s deaths were listed as unknown, but all three likely died from excessive asbestos exposure.

“The three cases of mesothelioma in doll production workers suggest that also in this restricted manufacturing sector had occurred an occupational asbestos exposure, which is up to now unknown and isn’t due only to the use of sewing or ironing machines.”

Asbestos in Doll Manufacturing in the U.S.

Asbestos in doll manufacturing in the United States remains poorly researched. Primarily, scientists have researched other types of manufacturing facilities, such as textile plants, chemical plants, and automobile manufacturing centers.

Most of the manufacturing facilities that have been researched were places where men were primarily employed. As of today, men make up the overwhelming majority of people diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases.

Fortunately, the United States no longer has manufacturing centers that use asbestos when making clothing. However, this remains an ongoing problem in developing nations. Countries such as Italy banned asbestos from being imported and exported into the country in 2005. The study was performed on women who worked in the doll clothing factories before the ban took place.

Until now, doll clothing making wasn’t connected with asbestos exposure and asbestos-related deaths.

Women’s Asbestos Exposure

Discovering how women develop mesothelioma remains an ongoing problem, according to Barbieri. The researcher stated that when women are exposed to asbestos, the primary cause is usually attributed to environmental exposure.

“Mesotheliomas in women with no apparent occupational asbestos exposure are normally referred to life or family environmental exposure. Moreover, it is known that occupational asbestos exposure in women is difficult to recognize.”

There are numerous ways that women develop mesothelioma and other asbestos illnesses due to occupational exposure. For instance, classrooms at both public and private schools were once constructed with asbestos materials. Many of the schools are still open today.

Many experts agree that more research is needed into female-dominated occupations, especially manufacturing plants where the employees were primarily female.

Help and Resources for Asbestos Victims

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be eligible for substantial compensation. Fill out our form to receive our free Financial Compensation Packet. Our packet is loaded with information on leading mesothelioma attorneys in your area, how to file a claim for asbestos trust funds, how to get paid in 90 days, and more. For additional assistance, contact us at 800-793-4540.

Only one month after federal prosecutors charged an asbestos contractor for breaking laws and putting his workers at risk, the state of Detroit hired him to tear down abandoned homes in the city.

Detroit Free Press reports that demolition contractor Jesse Brown is accused of not only exposing his workers to asbestos, but also children who live in the Southwest section of Detroit where he worked. Since 2014, Brown and his company, Brown Environmental Construction, have demolished more than 30 properties in Detroit, which resulted in $40,000 in DEQ fines for various asbestos violations. Brown’s violations are some of the highest ever among contractors in the city.

In 2016, Brown tore down another 256 buildings, that cost a little over $2 million, before he was finally suspended him in July of that year. The suspension came after DEQ violation notices indicated that he tore down 13 buildings in June without following the proper asbestos abatement and containment laws. Brown was reportedly so careless that the Detroit fire department had to intervene and wet down piles of rubbish and debris before asbestos became airborne.

Despite repeated violations recorded by the DEQ, Nick Schroeck, a law professor at Wayne State University, said that the city continued to use Brown’s services regardless. The law professor said it shows issues with city officials who have “a real problem with oversight.”

“Why has there been this really horrible lack of oversight on the part of the city?”

According to Brown’s lawyer, Brown said he thought that his subcontractors took care of the asbestos abatement. The contractor wants to continue working, despite having a previous suspension for violations in 2015. Brown’s two suspensions ended up costing around $2.5 million in business.

The troubles, however, began two years earlier in 2013, when Brown and his company started a job at Wendell Holmes Elementary School in southwest Detroit. They were asked to remove asbestos from the school before a scheduled demolition, but according to Brown, illegal scrappers broke in and ripped metals out of the school, leaving behind piles of asbestos dust. He said the boiler room had asbestos dust at least a feet deep. Children were playing around the school, potentially exposed to asbestos.

Prosecutors say that regardless, Brown still exposed his workers to asbestos when he continued on with the job. In November 2013, Brown settled with the DEQ and paid a $20,000 penalty. He also agreed to comply with asbestos and air quality laws, but by 2014, prosecutors filed a criminal complaint against Brown for his careless job at the school. He signed a plea deal and ended up with two years on probation. He also surrendered his asbestos abatement license and promised not to do any abatement work while on probation.

By 2016, he was back to work but it wasn’t long before he was given DEQ violations for the 13 buildings. He was finally required to stop all work. He now claims he can’t even afford car insurance to get back and forth to work.

Help and Resources for Asbestos Victims

If you suffer from mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be eligible for a large amount of compensation. Currently, there is over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds, set up for those who have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness. Fill out our form to receive our free Financial Compensation Packet. Our packet is loaded with information on leading mesothelioma attorneys in your area, how to file a claim for asbestos trust funds, how to get paid in 90 days, and more.

The wife of a former electrician filed a lawsuit against her husband’s past employers after she developed mesothelioma. She claimed that she washed his “asbestos covered overalls” for around 30 years, which led to her mesothelioma diagnosis.

In February 2016, 64-year-old Lynda Coates, of Newcastle, England, was diagnosed with mesothelioma. Her husband, David, who died in 2002, worked around asbestos for 30 years. Coates said that she would wash his clothes daily, never realizing she putting her life at risk.

“My mesothelioma diagnosis came completely out of the blue for me and I was even more shocked when I found out it may have been caused by inhaling asbestos dust and fibers my husband brought home on his overalls,” Linda said.

David worked for numerous companies during his career as an electrician, and a number of times at industrial sites. Some of the companies included Bailey and Co Ltd, N.E.I. Parsons Ltd, and Woolman Ltd. Linda said she would wash his clothes each day so that they would be clean for him when returning to work.

Linda, along with her mesothelioma law team, is now seeking information about as to whether is was known that asbestos was part of the working conditions, and she’s looking for others who worked alongside her husband. Companies who knowingly exposed to others to asbestos at the workplace without warning could be liable for the damages incurred as a result.

“Linda was just trying to care for her husband and family but has now been given the devastating diagnosis,” said her asbestos lawyer. “We know from our experience that many employers knew about the risks of asbestos but sadly too many did not do enough to protect their workers from the substance or inform them of the dangers it posed to their health, and the health of their families who may be exposed through dust on their work clothing.

Second-hand asbestos reportedly caused Linda to develop mesothelioma. Despite popular belief that asbestos diseases attack only those who work around the dangerous fibers, anyone exposed to it, no matter how large or small, are at risk of developing life-threatening illnesses. The number of people who develop mesothelioma via second-hand exposure is still small when compared to those who develop the disease due to occupational exposure, but more and more states are beginning to recognize that there’s liability involved.

For example, in 2016, the California Supreme Court ruled that companies that exposed workers to asbestos are liable if the asbestos caused second-hand exposure to family members or others who lived in their home.

Ways Second-Hand Exposure Occurs

Although it may hard to imagine that microscopic fibers can make their way to transfer from one person to another and cause damage, there are actually multiple ways it can happen, including:

As in Coates’ case, asbestos can transfer from clothing to another unsuspecting person

Asbestos transfer from skin, hair, and nails

Living in an area where demolition or construction work disrupts asbestos

Help for Second-Hand Asbestos Exposure

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be entitled to substantial compensation. Fill out our form to receive our free Financial Compensation Packet. Our packet is loaded with information on leading mesothelioma attorneys in your area, how to file a claim for asbestos trust funds, how to get paid in 90 days, and more. For additional assistance, contact us at 800-793-4540.

Several of Harvard College’s decades-old undergraduate housing buildings are getting makeovers, but the buildings were created during a time when using asbestos was the the norm. Administrators claim it’s not a concern, even though studies have confirmed that there is no safe level of asbestos.

The Harvard Crimson, a daily college newspaper, reports that the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ Senior Director of Facilities Operations, Zachary M. Gingo, said asbestos was found not only in the housing, but also in some of the libraries and office buildings. Yet, he assured that the asbestos will not be dangerous unless it becomes friable, meaning dry and crumbled.

“Harvard takes every precaution to ensure that that does not happen on campus, employing specific maintenance protocols to avoid the damage or disturbance of potentially asbestos-containing materials,” Gingo wrote in an email.

Gingo didn’t specifically provide the names of the student housing buildings that had asbestos, but the student newspaper indicated that the buildings built before 1970 that haven’t had major renovations include:

Adams House

Eliot House

Kirkland House

Lowell House

Parts of the Pforzheimer House and Cabot House

Faculty Dean of Adams House, Sean Palfrey, agreed with Gingo, and said that as long as the asbestos was contained, there wouldn’t be health risks.

“There’s asbestos hidden away in all older buildings, but whenever found during work, the official team comes in and takes it out safely. That’s a fact of life, and as long as everyone is aware it could be there, the response is well-established.”

Is Asbestos Ever Safe?

While it’s true that chance of developing an asbestos-related illness is a lot slimmer when safety precautions are taken, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) stated there is no safe level of asbestos, period.

“There is no “safe” level of asbestos exposure for any type of asbestos fiber. Asbestos exposures as short in duration as a few days have caused mesothelioma in humans.”

Anyone who works around asbestos needs to be professionally trained to contain asbestos successfully, not only for themselves, but for students, staff and anyone else who is in the vicinity. When asbestos fibers become airborne, they can travel in air, and people can inhale/ingest them without knowledge. Since the fibers are microscopic, odorless, and colorless, it’s impossible to see them with the naked eye.

Once asbestos has been inhaled or ingested, the body cannot dispel all of them. Over time, these fibers can attach themselves to the lining of major organs and cause scarring. The scarring can eventually lead to life-threatening illnesses such as malignant mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, and asbestosis.

For information about asbestos and the responsibility of school workers to keep student and staff informed of any abatement procedures or construction work involving asbestos, feel free to contact us at 800-793-4540.

Additional Help and Resources

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be eligible for substantial compensation. Fill out our form to receive our free Financial Compensation Packet. Our packet is loaded with information on leading mesothelioma attorneys in your area, how to file a claim for asbestos trust funds, how to get paid in 90 days, and more.

An Upper East Side New York City couple claim they’ve had to live separably for two years due to asbestos from a neighbor’s renovation seeping into their upscale NYC apartment home.

The New York Post reports that two years ago, Edward and Marisa Greason moved in with a respective elderly parent after their Sutton Place apartment home became covered in asbestos dust and lead-containing paint dust. After spotting the dangerous dust, they wanted out of their apartment immediately. They grabbed as many belongings as they could and left their beloved home. They haven’t lived there since and haven’t lived together since.

“All our Christmas ornaments from 2014 are still in the living room. It’s been a strain. We are living in overnight bags in two separate places,” said Edward Greason.

The couple hired an asbestos attorney, who ordered at least six scientific tests to examine the dust particles in the apartment home. The tests concluded that asbestos was indeed present in the dust; dust that continues to this day to seep into the couple’s home via vents and cracks in the walls.

The apartment was officially “rendered uninhabitable” and the Greasons are now seeking damages against their upstairs neighbor, who started a large-scale renovation that caused the couple’s walls to crack and leak in asbestos, and caused asbestos dust to move into their apartment via the air ducts. The couple also named Global Group Industries Corporation in the lawsuit, the company that carried out the six-month renovation, as well as architect Jim Thomas.

According to court documents, the construction workers “gutted” the neighbor’s upstairs apartment and tore out walls and floors that contained asbestos. They’re accused of failing to properly cover the materials and failing to follow asbestos guidelines while working. Prior to the lawsuit, Edward Greason complained to the the co-op board, and was reportedly told that he was overreacting and should just “wipe the dust off with a wet towel.”

A spokesperson for the building returned The Post‘s requests for comment, and insinuated that the Gleason family’s lawsuit was too weak to be successful.

“We dispute strenuously any environmental problems in our building. We point out that plaintiffs started this lawsuit months ago and have not pushed it forward, which to us is some indication of its lack of strength.”

The Greasons are seeking an unspecified amount for damages, but their ultimate goal is to force the defendants to pay all expenses for a thorough and environmental cleaning of their apartment.

Additional Help and Resources for Asbestos Victims

If you’ve been injured by asbestos, keep in mind that there is a good chance that you’ll qualify for considerable compensation. Remember to fill out our from to get your free Financial Compensation Packet, with information on asbestos and mesothelioma lawyers in your area. If you have questions or need additional assistance, feel free to contact us at 800-793-4540.

A new legislation pieced, signed into law on January 4 in Ohio, gives hopes to firefighters with mesothelioma and a number of other types of cancers.

The Michael Louis Palumbo Jr. Act, signed into law by Ohio Governor John Kasich, classifies mesothelioma as a occupational disease for firefighters. The new law allows firefighters with mesothelioma to file a compensation claims with the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. Ohio joins around 30 other states that have already classified mesothelioma as an occupational disease for firefighters.

The new law came into place based on Louis Palumbo Jr.’s battle with mesothelioma. Palumbo, a former firefighter, fought to have other firefighters covered should they develop mesothelioma as well.

“It’s going to protect them and their families through several different avenues to get the benefits right away that they deserve.” said Palumbo. “I’m glad there is a law protecting firefighters. I’m extremely honored the law bears my name.”

Doug Stern of the Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters (OAPFF), said that they’ve been fighting to get the law passed for a long time. It not only covers firefighters who develop mesothelioma, but also firefighters with different types of cancers that developed because of occupational hazards, including brain, colon, lung, and prostate cancer.

“Mesothelioma was one of those things we knew was there, but we needed a bill that was a little more general than that,” Stern told FOX 8 News in Ohio. “It’s been 32 years to get to this point, and this bill is probably the biggest thing we’ve been able to pass. These cancers are job-related to firefighters.”

As with most new laws, however, there are certain requirements for eligibility. For instance, firefighters must have a least six years of job duties that exposed them to asbestos. Additionally, if firefighters have been off duty for 20 years or more, they are disqualified. This is big barrier since it can take at least 20 years for mesothelioma to surface.

There is also an age limit. Former firefighters ages 70 and older aren’t included in the new law, and those who develop cancer due to different reasons aside from occupational exposure are disqualified. Stern understands that there are hurdles with the new law, but states that the focus is to make it be as effective as possible.

“I think we’re always looking at how to make the law better,” said Stern. “Like any law, it will take adjustments and tweaks moving forward. The goal is doing what’s best for the greatest amount of folks.”

Additional Help and Resources for Mesothelioma Victims

If you suffer from mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be eligible for a large amount of compensation. Currently, there is over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds, set up for those who have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness. Fill out our form to receive our free Financial Compensation Packet. Our packet is loaded with information on leading mesothelioma attorneys in your area, how to file a claim for asbestos trust funds, how to get paid in 90 days, and more. For additional assistance, you are welcome to call us at 800-793-4540.

Numerous people in a Davidson, North Carolina, neighborhood are concerned after learning is asbestos has been permeating the air they breathe, and possibly for a long time.

WCNC reports that North Carolina state officials said that asbestos was getting into the neighborhood from an old shingles factory that’s no longer in use. One of the residents in the neighborhood, Joanne Archie, said she’s certain asbestos is all over, and can be seen when it rains.

“When it rains you can see clay looking mud, so it’s here. I know it’s here.”

Another resident, Amer Raja, stated that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) knew that asbestos was in the area.

“The EPA had a full disclosure about asbestos being in our front yard, back yard,” Raja said. “Just concerned about my 2-year-old son.”

According to the state, asbestos was first discovered after rainfall made a slope erode on the Carolina Asbestos Company property, resulting in rain water contaminated with asbestos flowing into the residential area.

Fortunately, officials have stepped in to take action, yet it’s received with mixed reactions. While Raja is glad something is being done and hopes for a quick resolution, Archie stated that it should have happened a long time ago.

“A little too late. It should have been done long ago,” Archie said.

A common misconception about asbestos-related diseases is that it only develops after years of exposure to asbestos. While it’s true that someone working around asbestos for 20 years has a higher chance of developing a disease when compared to someone who encounters the mineral for a few years, the unfortunate fact is that no amount of asbestos is safe.

When asbestos is inhaled or ingested, its tiny fibers become lodged in the body. While some of the fibers are released through common bodily functions such as coughing or sneezing, it’s impossible to get rid of them all. Over time, the fibers attach the linings of major organs and turn cancerous. The longer they remain in the system, the more difficult it becomes to treat.

Children are just as susceptible to asbestos-related diseases as adults are. Some studies indicate that children are at a heightened risk of developing asbestos illnesses due to their breathing patterns. By all accounts, it’s fair for Raja to be worried about his two-year-old.

If there’s a chance you’ve been exposed to asbestos, it’s important to seek medical care as soon as possible. Although there is currently no cure for asbestos-related illnesses, there are a number of treatment options available.

Additional Help and Resources

If you suffer from mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be eligible for a large amount of compensation. Currently, there is over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds, set up for those who have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness. Fill out our form to receive our free Financial Compensation Packet. Our packet is loaded with information on leading mesothelioma attorneys in your area, how to file a claim for asbestos trust funds, how to get paid in 90 days, and more. For additional assistance, contact us 800-793-4540.

Former Kansas City government employees settled an asbestos lawsuit for $80 million against Jackson County, Missouri, and Kansas City-based U.S. Engineering, just one month before the trial was scheduled to start.

The Kansas City Star reports that the lawsuit was filed by over 7,000 peopled who’d been in the Kansas City courthouse, including jail inmates, lawyers, jurors, and more. The $80 million will ensure that the plaintiffs have the access and means to ongoing medical screenings and evaluations that specifically look for asbestos-related illnesses.

The class-action lawsuit was filed in 2015 by former Kansas City workers, Jeanne Morgan and David Elsea, who wanted nothing more than to receive medical care and screenings for life. They’re both frightened by the possibility that they’re in danger of developing mesothelioma, an aggressive form of cancer that strikes after people have been exposed to asbestos.

Thousands of others who were in the courthouse for at least 80 hours (a qualification to join the lawsuit) followed suit. Anyone who was (and can prove) that they were in the Kansas City courthouse for at least 80 hours, between the years of 1986 and 2007, is eligible for free medical screenings, X-rays, evaluations, and blood screenings for life.

Asbestos in the Courthouse

For two years during the 1980s, U.S. Engineering made a number of renovations to the Jackson County courthouse, and they used asbestos-containing materials to complete the project. Asbestos dust and residue literally scattered everywhere during the renovations, even seeping through the vents as workers cut through asbestos-containing pipes.

Further, workers would carry old, asbestos-containing parts and materials down an an old elevator to take it to the dumpster, and leave behind toxic asbestos fibers all over the building. Not only did the workers fail to use masks or gloves while working, but there were absolutely no signs placed anywhere that warned others about the dangers.

U.S. Engineering defended itself, stating that regulations were always followed, even when they were shown proof.

“Integrity and safety have always been at the heart of our 123-year-old, family-owned business, and we will not waiver from our commitment to these fundamental values,” CEO of U.S. Engineering Co. Holdings Tyler Nottberg said.

Morgan testified that she’d see particles of asbestos dust all over the places, including paperwork on desks.

“The particles would be … all over the papers. The dust from their boots and their work shoes was on the stairway and in the hallways,” Morgan said.

Morgan’s co-worker, Nancy Lopez, died at age 56 in 2010. Her cause of death: malignant mesothelioma. Her family won $10.4 million during a 2011 settlement with Jackson County and U.S. Engineering. Lopez’s death greatly frightened a number of people who either worked in the courthouse or spent time there.

Air testing performed on the courthouse in 2010 indicated that it’s now safe and asbestos-free.

Help and Resources for Asbestos Victims

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be eligible for substantial compensation. Fill out our form to receive our free Financial Compensation Packet. Our packet is loaded with information on leading mesothelioma attorneys in your area, how to file a claim for asbestos trust funds, how to get paid in 90 days, and more. For additional assistance, contact us at 800-793-4540.